The Magic of A Fresh 48 Session

May 5, 2025

Capturing Your Baby’s First Hours

There’s something truly special about those first couple of days with a brand-new baby. Time seems to blur. You’re running on adrenaline, love, and maybe a little caffeine. You’re learning your baby’s face, their expressions, the sounds they make when they yawn or hiccup. It’s raw, emotional, and absolutely beautiful—and it deserves to be remembered.

That’s exactly what a Fresh 48 session is for.

During a Fresh 48 session, a woman holds her newborn in a hospital bed as a man leans in to kiss the baby's head. Both adults wear hospital wristbands, capturing the tender moments just after birth.

An adult holds a newborn baby dressed in a striped onesie and white hat in a softly lit room.

So, What Is a Fresh 48 Session?

A Fresh 48 session is a photo session that takes place within the first 48 hours of your baby’s life—usually in the hospital, but it all depends on where you gave birth! These aren’t posed, styled newborn photos. They’re real, honest, and full of feeling. It’s about capturing your baby just as they are, and your family as you are, in those very first moments together.

Margaret Belanger Photography | The Magic of A Fresh 48 Session

Why I Love These Sessions

(and think you will, too!)

1. The Details Change So Fast

Your baby is only this tiny once. Their wrinkly little feet, the hospital bracelets, that squishy newborn face—those details change within days. Fresh 48 sessions freeze those moments in time so you can revisit them long after your baby has outgrown their newborn clothes (which happens really quickly!).

2. All the Emotions are Real

You are too exhausted and delirious with love to be anyone other than who you are. And who you are is a brand new parent in love with their new baby! These sessions are filled with unfiltered joy, love, and sometimes even a few tears. There’s no pressure to be anything other than yourselves. Whether it’s your first baby or your fourth, there’s something so tender about those early hours—and I want you to have the chance to remember them exactly as they were.

3. They Are Perfect for Siblings (and Grandparents!)

One of my favorite parts of Fresh 48 sessions is when siblings meet the baby for the first time. The curiosity, the pride, the hesitant touches, the sideways glances, and sometimes a total disinterest—it’s magic. These sessions are also a wonderful opportunity to include grandparents or other close family who might be visiting in those early days. It’s all part of your baby’s story.

4. No Pressure, No Fuss

I promise, you don’t need to “look put together” or worry about the baby being fussy. Wear a nice robe or hang out in your hospital gown. This isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. I’m there to quietly document what’s happening, whether you’re snuggling your baby skin-to-skin, feeding them, or just marveling at their tiny fingernails. There’s beauty in the simplicity.

5. A Beautiful Beginning to Your Family’s Story

Fresh 48 sessions pair beautifully with a later newborn session at home. Together, they tell the full story—from your baby’s first hours in the world to those cozy early days settling in as a family.

Final Thoughts

The first 48 hours go by in a heartbeat. You’re getting to know your baby, and they’re getting to know you. It’s a sacred window of time—emotional, intense, and unforgettable. I would be honored to help you hold onto it through photographs that feel real, gentle, and full of love.

If you’re expecting and think a Fresh 48 session might be right for you, I’d love to chat. These are the moments that matter, and I’d be thrilled to help you preserve them.

Newborn baby wearing a diaper lying on a hospital bed with identification bands on wrist and ankle. A man and woman smile as a young girl admires a newborn in a hospital bassinet, surrounded by blankets and medical equipment during their Fresh 48 session. A woman kisses a newborn held by a man in a softly lit room with string lights in the background. A man holds a newborn wrapped in a blanket while an older woman smiles at them in a hospital room. A man and woman stand closely together in a hospital room, holding and looking at a newborn baby wrapped in a blanket.